Coupling



R. WIKEN COUPLING Oct. 7, 1952 Filed Dec. 20,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l :J l Z m wll INVENTOR Raz/Q11 wixen ATTORNEY Oct. 7,1952 R, wlKEN 2,612,764

couPLING/ Filed Dec. 2o, 194e SHEETS-SHEET 2 /0 F1 l" f f G 3 I)ldlll flJv?" F /Z /Zl INVENTOR RaZ/:hwiken ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 7, 1,952

ooUrLINe g ltalph Wken, Milwaukee, Wis., assigner vto The FalkCorporation, Milwaukee, Wis.,-a corpora-- tion of Wisconsin ApplicationDecember 20, 1946, SerialN-o. 717,435

2 Claims. (CL' (i4-6) This invention relates to power ytransmittingflexible couplings,

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved flexiblecoupling of simple inexpensive design capable of accommodating both-vangular and parallel misalignment.

Another object is to provide a torsionally elastic coupling of improvedconstruction.

Other more specific object-s and advantages will appear, expressed orimplied, from the following j descriptionof a powercoupling exemplifyingthe .present invention. y

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is an axial sectional view of a coupling constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig.1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are views in side elevation, with the lubricant retainerremoved, respectively illustrating the relation of parts duringconditions of angular and parallel misalignment.

Fig. 5 is a View in perspective with the coupling heads axiallyseparated.

The coupling selected for illustration comprises two hollow couplingheads I and I0 each having an integral hub I I or II' adapted to bekeyed or otherwise fixed to conventional power transmitting shafts I2and I2', respectively.

The coupling heads I0 and I0 are shown interconnected through a pair ofbars I3 and I3', each being rockably mounted in and disposeddiametrically of one of the heads, and each having a pair of arms I4 orI4 projecting laterally from the opposite ends thereof into drivingrelation with the other of said heads. The bars I3 and I3 are preferablydisposed at right angles to each other.

In this instance each bar I3 or I3 is seated at opposite ends incylindrical bushings I5 or I5' which are diametrically slotted toreceive the bars. Each of the bushings I5 and I5 is closely fitted forfree rotation and axial movement in cylindrical seats I6 and I6 formedin the peripheres of the coupling heads, each of the seats I and I5being o-pen at one side to permit the arms I4 and I4 to projecttherethrough and to rotate freely with the supporting bushings I5 and I5without interfering with the seats. Each bar I3 and I3' is thus free torotate with its supporting bushings I5 or I5 and to shift lengthwisetherewith within and diametrically of the coupling head I6 or IU inwhich it is mounted. Each bar I3 and I3 is preferably anchored to itssupporting bushings by suitable means such as pins Il extendingtherethrough.

The Aarms I4 or I4 of each bar-I3 or` I3 project into close slidingengagement within similarly slotted cylindrical bushings"I8 or I8@rotatably mounted in cylindrical seats I 9 and I9- similar to the seatsI 6 and I6', so that these arms are rockabl and radially slidablewith'respect tofbothff the coupling heads I I3V and I0. Each of thebushings I8 and I8"ar'e retained in theirseats'l I9 and I9 by suitablemeans such as locking pin 20 carried thereby and loosely engaged inanfint'ernal channel 2I formed in the periphery ofthe seat.

Inthis instance the twocoupling heads I0 and I0 are'shown looselyencircled by an appropriate lubricant retainer housing. The housingshown comprises two axially separable rings 22 loosely supported on theheads and releasably joined by a series of bolts 23, each of the rings22 having an inturned flange 24 which coacts with a sealing ring 25 toprevent escape of lubricant from the housing.

From the foregoing it will be noted that, since the two coupling headsI0 and Ill are interconnected solely through the two bars I3 and I3 andtheir arms I4 and I4', the bars being arranged at right angles to eachother and each free to move lengthwise or diametrically of the heads aswell as laterally toward and from one of the heads, and each also beingfree to rock about its longitudinal axis and with respect to both heads,both heads are thus freely adjustable relative to each other in suchdirections as to accommodate both angular and parallel misalignment ofthe shafts l2 and I2'.

In Fig. 3 for instance one arm I4 has somewhat retracted from the headI0 and the other arm I4 of the same bar has advanced somewhat into thehead Ill to accommodate angular misalign-ment, lthe rotatable bushingsI5 and I8 having permitted an angular displacement of both heads I0 andI0' with respect to the arms I4' of the other bar in this figure; and inFig. 4 both arms I4 of one bar have shifted dametrically of both headslo and I0', while the arms I4 of the other bar have tilted with respectto both heads, to accomm-odate the parallel misalignment thereinportrayed.

It will also be noted that although both bars I3 and I3' and their armsI4 and I4 are thus free to tilt in a manner to accommodate misalignment,yet both bars are effective to transmit a torque load from one couplinghead I0 or I0' to the other, since neither is influenced to thus tilt bythe torque load transmitted thereby. This should be clear frominspection of Fig. 5. If it be assumed for instance that the head Ill isthe driver and the head l' the driven head, it will be noted that theprojecting ends 0f the arms I4 ot the bar I3 would normally react atdiametrically opposite points on the head I0', so that the resultantreaction forces on the projecting ends of these arms are equal and inopposite direction and thus balance each other. These equal and oppositereaction forcesdare sustained by lthe torsional resistancefof the barI3, without iniluencing the bar to tilt as a unit about its longitudinalaxis.

Since, as above noted, the torque transmitted from one coupling head I0or I0 to the other is sustained by the bars I3 and |3,.:and:since,the

arms II-H or l4'-l4' of each bar are seatedv in separate independentlyrockable bushings |8|8 or |8-|8', the arms of -eachbararecapable ofdeflecting relative to each other under the transmitted load in a mannerto induce ator-r sional deflection in eachibar, and because of thisnovel arrangement the coupling" possesses an advantageous torsionalelasticity `to .a kdegree 'dependent upon the ,combined torsionalelasticity .ofthe bars.

. Various changes may :be made in the emboditment 'of theV invention:hereinabove ,specifically .described Without departing from or.sacriiicing the advantages of the invention as defined-in thel.appended Y claims. Y s I claim:

1..-In a power coupling -the combination .of driv- 'ing land driven:coupling-heads, a `barcarried by teach, of heads andfrockable about alongitudinal ing and driven coupling heads, a transverse bar carried byeach of said heads and rockable about an axis extending transversely ofSaid head, a pair ofzseparate `.aligned longitudinally slotted .bushingsycarried-by each of said heads and independently-rockable therein abouta transverse axis 'angularly disposed relative to said first named axis,anda pair of torque transmitting :arms extending from the ends of eachof said bars into the bushings of a pair, the arms of each pair beingSpacedfrom androckablelrelativefto the arms 0f the other pair.

RALFH WIKEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in .the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,625,511 Ungerer Apr. 19, 19271,659,693 Kurtze Feb. 21, 1928 2,148,975

Agren Feb. 28, 1939

